Current Wii Model to be Discontinued

No thanks, I still play F-Zero GX with scary regularity. But a very good deal for late adopters.

Glad I still have my old Wii with the Gamecube ports - I still play games from the previous Nintendo home system, despite the fact that Wii was in fact my first console (not counting handhelds). But I guess that most gamers will not notice the lack of backward compatibility.

@y0ss4ri4n: under 'adverb':
1. To let loose; release: loosed the dogs.
3. To cast loose; detach: hikers loosing their packs at camp.
4. To let fly; discharge: loosed an arrow.

Phew... good thing I already got a Wii.
I play my GC titles more regulary than my Wii ones.

I already have one so I'm all good. But with the 3DS price cut this also makes sense since it will be making Nintendo more money with each Wii sold.

Smash Brothers without gamecube controllers just doesn't make sense.

'lose' seems more appropriate and looks right instead of 'loose' even if 'loose' can be used.

Sucks for new people getting one around then that wanna play Gamecube games on it.

Wow, that's different, guess Nintendo plan to keep making Wii systems & selling them side by side w/ the Wii-U sorta like the PS2 & PS3. That's the only reason why they'd redesign the Wii this late as far as I can tell. Oh & boo Nintendo for taking away gamecube compatibility! But eh, I already have my gamecube game playing Wii.

Why???

@Bass: that would imply that the redesign had actually had GC support before, though, and now it had lost it, when in reality the redesign was introduced without GC support. 'loose' is valid in context.

If anyone else has something to say about the way the article is worded, we invite you to use the Contact Form to continue the discussion. :3

anyway, if i had a Wavebird or actually used the GC-playing feature of my Wii more, i would probably be more affected by this news. I wonder if they made it any smaller in relation to the current Wii model...

Well anyone buying now has to be a pretty casual customer. I'm cool with this. Odd only in Europe.

I guess they're cutting costs due to all the lost profits in the industry this year. If it's cheap enough, though, and still includes Mario Kart, I might buy the new, no-Gamecube Wii. My current ancient one is groaning louder and louder to read discs everytime I turn it on.

Thank goodness I bought mine years ago. :3

In what way is this new Wii more efficient? It just looks like Nintendo is removing features at this point.

I see no difference in the model. It looks stupid. If the were to do some thing it would be even more backwards compatibility. And Nintendo wonders why their products aren't doing good.

Even more reason why I will never get rid of my Wii!

....... Whats the difference in the new model? atleast a good difference please? ...
Good thing my gamecube still works, and my wii to. I still personaly think the gamecube had the best games...... (super mario sunshine, luigis mansion, legend of zelda wind waker, ect)
D: i really dont see why nintendo, plans to do this.

Sorry upcoming Wii owners, you can´t play Super Smash Bros without Gamecube controller. No items, Fox only, FINAL DESTINATION!!!

@Muffy
Judging from the boxart, it looks like MarioKart's been replaced by Wii Sports and Wii Party. As for this new model, I really don't see the point. It looks the same, just with fewer features. Any word on if the price going down, or are we going to be paying the same amount for a Wii without GC support as we would for one with it?

You people do realize that if you already have a Wii, this doesn't affect you, right? Based on some of the comments you'd thing Nintendo was going door to door and taking away your Gamecube controllers.

This is a crazy move by Nintendo, I agree though it doesn't really effect me.

A Wii without any Gamecube features... Is not a Wii at all.

This is an outrage! The wii has been selling like crazy for the last 5 years. There's no need for Nintendo to change it now. Yes, yoyogamer, we are overreacting, but this decision is truly mystifying.

Bah. One more console for me to track down someday in the future. Counting redesigns, I still lack the NES redesign, a SNES and the redesign, a GameCube, and now this. On the handheld side, I need the Brick, a GB Pocket, a GB Light, GBA SP and the redesign, DS phat, and DSi XL. Wow, that's a long list, made even longer.

Well by far the vast majority of people i know with a Wii none of them apart from a mate knew that it can even play Gamecube games. For me its essential.

Good move, anyone buying a wii in the last few years would be unaware of GC support anyway. Also notice that in the image the Wii logo is turned around and there is no stand implying that it can only be laid flat. Unfortunately it makes it look even more similar to a Wii U which will cause much confusion I'm sure.

Wave goodbye to 8 player local Bomberman Blast... forever.

No need to downgrade my wii to that.

Still like F Zero GX / Sonic Adventure 2 battle / Super Monkey Ball 1.

What they could do is in the mear future Make a Wii Gamecube game compatible look like A GAME CUBE.

What?!

I agree, making it not able to stand and putting it flat on the picture of the box will probably create more confusion with WiiU.......
I dont understand this move....

On the other side, I understand they got rid of GC support to make it cheaper, it will last longer this way, like PS2 hopefully.

Now wait, this is talking about Europe. Does this apply to NA as well?

Lotsa news this morning. Some good, some blah, some frustrating (I'm in America, so guess which news item that is).

This is somewhere between blah and frustrating. So, Nintendo: For North America, this is the "bonus" to get through the next probably one year until Wii U is out? This is the drought buster to get us through Wii U-less portion of 2012? So, Skyward Sword, Kirby and a redesigned Wii that actually has FEWER features are supposed to satisfy us until Wii U is out?

Boy, Nintendo, you sure know how to stop me in my tracks feeling sorry for you, given your financial difficulties lately. Just when I think NoA's refusal to give us 3 games just about the rest of the world is going to get was the most irritated you could get me.

You know, I never thought Nintendo would go the PlayStation 3 route and not offer full backward compatibility. Now they've taken GameCube away from new model Wiis and it won't be included in Wii U.

I'm so frustrated, I could just scream! _{aaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhh}

Totally stupid, why should someone buy the same console with less options
If it would be a new model, slim wii like the DSi, but that's bull****

This is stupid. Now stores will have to change their logos that the Wii no longer supports GCN.

My guess is that it will be cheaper. Not everyone has GCN games, so they'd just opt for the cheapest option available.

Glad I live in the US. Without the Gamecube support, it just doesn't feel right :/ I mean the Wii (as of current) can literally play games from every Nintendo Home Console and also I need my Gamecube Controller support... Classic controller only works well with VC.

@DStroke
That seems to be the general, universal business model these days, whether in the game industry, groceries or whatever. Less for more or equal $. Most can get away with it, like slightly cutting back how much is in a jar of X item where the consumer won't notice. But, not here! I don't get it. Why do this now, after all the years it's had GameCube support? You that bad off, Nintendo?

Oh you may be asking, "why so serious"? Because you know this redesign will be NoA's "Christmas Present" to North America, Reggie being the Grinch he is presently.

@Godot (42.): Of course it does and it's a scheme. Now you'll be too afraid to mod your GameCuby Wii and therefore will never be able to play Xenoblade, Last Story or Pandora's Tower on it.

All kidding aside i think this could have something to do with slipstreaming their factories too. So they can start producing the Wii U quickly without having to change too much in 2012. Maybe they even want to continue producing the Wii like WiiLovePeace (13.) mentioned.

It would be great if it you could still let the Wii U stand vertically as safely as the Wii.
And while i pity people getting the new model and realizing they could really need GC controller support i don't think there will be many facing these problems. _{And while the chances aren't high it could always be that Nintendo releases a new wireless GameCube controller for the Wii(U).}

So if it makes the console cheaper and convinces some more people to buy a Wii ... why not.

I don't get some of the negativity here. People have had nearly five years to buy a Wii with GameCube compatibility, and there's still another few months before the economy model appears. What's the problem?

This is ridiculous. Nintendo isn't "bad off" at all. They're just doing what will make them the most money. So the 3DS hasn't sold well yet? Big deal. Have we all forgotten the Virtual Boy? It sold terribly, and yet Nintendo didn't miss a beat. They got right back on track. The same will happen/is happening now. Besides, they haven't even announced what the pricing of this new model will be. You're just assuming that it won't be any cheaper.

I use my Wii to play GameCube games, so there is now way I would give up my Wii!

typical responses here. I'm just surprised they didn't do this sooner. I was actually surprised when it came out in the first place with such solid support for a system that was long forgotten to many people.
I love that I have it now, though, I've started a big collection of GC games I never got to play the first time, since the releases were so slow that I sold my GC a year after it launched. Like having a retro machine built in.
There is such a huge Wii install base that if someone really wants it later they can just get a used Wii or one of millions of real GC's in the thrift store; quit whining guys.

That's fine, I hate my GameCube ports on my Wii. They just sit there and stare at me menacingly, and make me curse the very day I was born.

Damn. I still use my GCN controllers for Smash Bros, and I'm still catching up on old GameCube games. Sad.

Uh......huh. Why is this bad? As many others have said, most people that still don't have a Wii probably aren't really concerned with something like GC support. So why are some people here freaking out? Are you afraid that they'll send mercenaries to break into your house and forcibly rip the GC compatibility from your current Wii? I would think it's only a problem is you don't own one yet.

@48: "Oh you may be asking, "why so serious"? Because you know this redesign will be NoA's "Christmas Present" to North America, Reggie being the Grinch he is presently"

What kind of reason is that? Were you expecting something out-of-left-field and special? Like they randomly decide to release Xenoblade or something? That's setting your hopes a little too high, pal.

I currently have two working Gamecubes and a dying Wii.....bring on the new Wii!!!!

@SilverBaretta: You don't know Reggie.

Anyone know about the PSP E-1000 model coming to Europe? It's redesigned PSP with NO WIFI SUPPORT. Now, that's really stupid.

@58: Am I supposed to?

@58: I just saw Reggie lurking around outside with a giant sack of used GameCube controllers. He even had someone's NES under one of his arms. Hide all of your old Nintendo stuff in the storm cellar!!!

Seems like every company is trying to sell cheaper models to Europe

Yeah, maybe it's got something to do with the recent PS3 price cut too.

But I played gamecube controllers on all the good games.
The Sonic series
Super Smash Bros.
Goldeneye
Mario Kart

Not really sure what the problem is here, if you have one of these new Wii's and want to play Gamecube games, then....buy a Gamecube. They're dirt cheap on Ebay/preowned in game stores and hardly take up any room underneath your TV. As for not being able to use GC controllers with Smash Bros Brawl....I'm sure most people will cope just fine with the Classic Controller (and I'm also sure Nintendo would rather you buy one of those than carry on using your old controller )

I've just a thought, this move has and will annoy people my idea is this. Nintendo listen up... why don't Nintendo do a disc for the wii of favourite game cube titles? I know this isn't some thing Nintendo do often but for the sake of £25:00 or so they could do a collection disc like what I have described. Also it could feature new ways to play with either the nunchuck and classic controller. Also I wonder if the European Wii will now drop to around £70:00 over the Christmas hoildays? it could work and Nintendo will have many of these consoles ready to sell. Also I wonder if the current Wii console will receieve another price drop? as Nintendo will have a lot of Wii stock at Christmas.

Hooray for stupidity!

Nintendo is not doing a lot to stay on my good side lately. I've been playing gamecube games all the time during the drought.

Oh crap, you won't be able to play Brawl with the cube controller! WHAT THE HELL NINTENDO?.

The way people are commenting on this article, you'd think Nintendo just announced that they'd be bricking all gamecube compatible consoles. If you already have a wii, this won't mean ANY change for you.

It gets worse. ... IGN is reporting that the U.S. is getting a Wii without Wii compatibility.

Most people getting it now aren't going to use the gamecube support. besides it's not like a backwards compatible wii is going to be that hard to find. It's been in production for over 5 years (assuming production time). The PS3 backward compatible model was only available for the first year-thus the shortage.

in a way I can understand dropping gamecube game support since probably alot of people don't use it, but It's a shame they're dropping the controller ports too, it was a nice to have for some games. but I guess for those who want it I'm sure there will be used current version wii's floating around

ANTHONY
This kinda sux I'll keep my wii in pristine condition though. Don't wanna have no gamecube gamez

Crap news.

Wait, WHAT'S THE POINT?!
We know Wii U won't have GCN support but why doing a Wii redesign that takes out one of the best things about the Wii?
Well then again, most of the serious Nintendo gamers would have the original Wii so they can play GCN games and Wii games with GCN controllers. Guessing this is for new people who might not want to invest in a Wii U for whatever reason. I don't see this becoming a success if it's priced more $99 though.

Well, the only thing bad about this is the plethora of Wii games that utilize the Gamecube controller as an option. Other than that, I would be perfectly fine with getting this new model, since I have five working Gamecubes in my house.

The funny thing is that i use my wii to play game cube games most of the time.

The good thing is that i already have two old fashioned wiis.

The large majority of casual gamers won't even notice.

So glad I've got my Wii. Smash Bros., Mario Kart, FE: Radiant Dawn, various N64 VC titles, all are so much better with my favorite traditional controller of all time.

I can't say this move makes any sense to me. Who's going to buy this new machine that has less features?

Why are people caring so much? The Classic Controller Pro plays BETTER than the Wavebird. Plus you can get a used Gamecube for $30 pretty much anywhere.

My thought is that Nintendo is doing this so they can sell the warehouse of current Wii's. Once people here this news and have been on the fence to get one they will run out and buy them up.
In our house almost 50% of our game use on the Wii is for GameCube.
Pluse we have several VC titles that use the GC-controllers.
Nintendo should have supported at least the Games and you have to use classic controllers. In fact with the supposed power of WiiU why could they have not have used a VC emulator and still support GC.
Sad move Nintendo

Will it still play Xenoblade Chronicles? It will. Oh good. Ha ha ha ha
Seriously don't see why people have a problem with this.I bet 80% of Wii owners never use the Gamecube ports.If this makes the Wii more profitable then it's understandable that they would do this.If you really want an original Wii they will always be available second hand as are Gamecubes. Stop your whining people!!

Ummm... does this mean the Wii is best suited to be laying on it's side? looks to his vertical Wii

Incidently, I actually play my GameCube games IN my GameCube. Ever since my Wii corrupted my 1019 memory card, forcing me to hunt down a new one. I... actually don't mind having the older systems hooked up.

So it';s not just a cheaper option? Damn. No, I would not want to lose my backwards compatibility. Just today I played Mario Kart Double Dash and a little known game called Gotcha Force on my Wii using my beloved Wavebird!

@FluttershyGuy

"I'm so frustrated, I could just scream! aaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhh"

Brohoof, dude. Brohoof.

Don't go kicking anything in your frustration now though. ;D

I'm LOLing right now at the fact that almost NO ONE I know who plays SSBM or SSBB seriously playing w/o the gamecube controller (personally I did even better with the N64 controllers back in the day w/ the original SSB, but I digress...). I've actually had moderate succ w/ the Wiimote but still.

I'm hoping that since Nintendo is going through with GC controller port-less Wiis til further notice, that they will release a a GC controller that plugs into the Wiimote a la the same way the CC does and, problem solved. C'mon Nintendo, if I'm smart enough to break-fix that, I know you guys have this idea cooking, right? .... Right Nintendo......?

It's obviously a cost-cutting measure, like the other Wii revisions that you probably don't realize happened.

If you want to play GameCube games at this point, chances are you already own one or more of the following:
1) a GameCube
2) a Wii
If so, this will not affect you.

Disappointing news. I don't really want to have to keep each and every console I've ever owned. Backwards-compatibility is a good thing! But if Wii U will offer a data transfer so I can move everything from my Wii to the Wii U, then I can get rid of the Wii and dust off my GameCube. I knew there was a reason I kept that thing in the closet all these years! I can finally make use of the GBA Player again!

Oh wait that's right...I don't wanna play SSBB without my wavebird...NOOOO!!!

Ugh, well anyway, I guess I should take care of my Wii, since it's the only thing I can play Gamecube games on (my Gamecube is busted).

I dont think it matters... If you really want a Wii that plays GC games you could still buy one second hand, I think Nintendo sold quite a few. This 're-design' should be cheaper though.

Woooh, glad I got my second Wii before this nonsense started. D:

hugs Gamecube ports

@ArmoredGoomba That's because this slap in the face is meant for Nintendo's hardcore gamers.

I'm surprised at anyone who's willing to pretend this is anything but bad news.

@95: Which hardcore Nintendo gamer doesn't already have a Wii? How is someone a hardcore Nintendo gamer if he or she still doesn't have a Wii? As a million other people have said, existing Wiis still function as they always have.

@Burning_Spear No console lasts forever (certainly not the Wii from what people are posting in forums). Plan on having to replace it at some point.

I guess to some of us, a wii that doesn't play Double Dash, Wind Waker, Melee, or Mario Sunshine is about as inconceivable as a wii that doesn't play Brawl, Mario Galaxy, Skyward Sword, or Mario Kart Wii.

Removing features reduces cost you dolt. I see little point in this though, why release a new version of a console with little software support? Also Gamecube gaming is irrelevant for anyone wanting to buy the system this late in the game.

I wonder if gamecube bc support will still be there, much like dvd playback, and can be turned on via some future hack?

I hope some 3rd party makes an adapter for the Wii redesign and Wii U with GC controller ports so you can at least use the GC controller for the Wii games that utilized it.

Wow. I guess this means Nintendo aren't re-releasing Smash Bros. Brawl then (as GameCube controllers are the best controllers for Brawl - end of that discussion)

I think the Wii without GC will be $99 so that'll be good for some. And for the rest of us who want GC, well, we already have Wiis what's the big deal? Also there will be pleanty of used Game Cubes and Wiis on the cheap for years to come.

Jesus guys, if you've got a Gamecube controller then you've got a Gamecube (well, most likely), just use that?
My Wii is slowly dieing, and I use my GC controller for a couple of games, but im sure I will be able to pick one up cheaply when it does eventually drop dead.

That suuucks. My favorite thing about GC controller functionality was that it allowed my X-arcade to hook up to the Wii. Playing VC games with that thing is a blast...granted--not gonna affect me at all, but it's sad to see the controller ports gone for new buyers (esp. for stuff like Smash Bros. Brawl...how's anyone gonna play it w/o one?)

Well, bugger, I'm going to side with the unhappy people. While I enjoy my Gamecube games on the Wii and using GCN controllers for VC games, my biggest complaint goes along with Joejoe_'s comment (number 36). I have quite a few Nintendo Channel games which support 5 or more players, Bomberman Blast perhaps the best example. With the "new" Wii, these multiplayer options are unavailable, which ultimately hurt the games. Now, I realize this isn't a problem for me because I own a Wii, but it screws a few future Wii owners and doesn't exactly support several companies' games on the Nintendo Channel.

Oh well, it bothers me, but it won't exactly hurt me. My fanboyism will cry a little later, that's all.

What was wrong with the original model anyway!?! Tilting the Wii sideways and removing features makes it better? No!

@Link-Hero Yeah. Why does Nintendo have to keep supporting hardcore gamers? You don't think Nintendo might be doing this to "encourage" more GameCube VC sales on the Wii U?

Then I might consider getting another Wii, while I can still get one similar to mine.

Edit: I really doubt that the inclusion of GCN tech was really a financial detriment to Nintendo. After all the money they've made from the Wii thus far, taking hits like the 3DS failing to sell more than x # of units, &/or any of their recent failures(in the past 6-8 years), such a thing can't really be seen as taking major hits. They're a co., like any other, & they have the financial resources to take hits for a long stretch.

To the best of my knowledge, the N64 was the last system I know of, that had an easily noticeable redesign: the ext port on the bottom was removed. Perhaps the GCN had a redesign internally, that I wasn't aware of?

This is not a redisign but the Korean version of the Wii which lacked gamecube support from launch.

Without the gamecube controller ports, one cannot play 8-player Bomberman Blast, but other than that...
It's 2011 and very difficult to find any retailers dealing with gamecube games, most casual gamers wouldn't care.

You don't think Nintendo might be doing this to "encourage" more GameCube VC sales on the Wii U? I agree with Gamesake

@SilverBaretta
No, I'm not really expecting any surprise announcements for anything holiday releases except what's already scheduled (and hopefully Kid Icarus: Uprising). However, I DO SERIOUSLY hope that Nintendo will be good enough to provide at least a couple early-mid 2012 releases to fill in the gap leading up to Wii U, and not completely wash it's hands of the Wii on New Years Day. And the Project Rainfall games would be more than enough to keep me busy till Wii U hits!
@SoulSilverIV
I've got my least expensive vase ready for the next time Nintendo messes up, and I get so frustrated I could kick something! (brohoof )

Perhaps a third party could make a gamecube-style classic controller...

I don't think Nintendo is doing this to get us to download Gamecube games for WiiU. Remember how few N64 games are on the Wii Shop Channel?

Nintendo also mentions that "other Wii bundles will be announced this autumn, all offering great value" in their official news article.
Will be interesting to see if they include more "hardcore" games or even titles that support the GC controller.

dear nintendo if you read this you can still discontinue the wii model but you should just have gamecube games and content downloaded to the wii u controller but seriously someone from nintendo should have this idea by the way no offense because if you guys put nes,n64 and other vrital games like that on the wii or gameboy games or whatever on the nintendo 3ds at least put gamecube games on the wii u then continue the process so even if the wii gets old at least wii will still have all of favorite games on every new console you guys make because it just going to get more people to buy them because if it wasn't for gamecube you likely wouldn't have made the wii i'm not trying to bring you guys down or anything i'm just telling you what your fans and what the world wants also i'm not trying to force you to do this but it's just a idea if you guys don't take the idea i'll still be by your side nintendo after all your guys probadly not what you doing anyway and s.s.b might not be the same but at least you guys do have something close to the gamecube the classic controller right? I hope this works nintendo you can do it but you guys did say companies these day are missing craftmanship but you guys have plenty anyway

from your fan kyoya

Everybody on here who says they don't care b/c they already have a Wii, well you're right not to care, pretty much everybody on the planet has a Wii by now. The 3 people who don't have a Wii by now HAVE NEVER EVEN HEARD OF A GAMECUBE! This is the bare bones bottom line $99 disposable holiday Wii to hold people over until the WiiU, which guess what, doesn't have GC support either. They do need to make a "classic controller" Gamecube controller now, but my guess is they were already planning on that for SSBB, WiiU edition.

Just leave it to some 3rd Party to produce an adapter to plug Game Cube controllers into the back of the Wiimote.

My local Game-X-Change has tons of Game Cubes available, for $30 a pop. People buy up the games, to play on their Wiis. The games are extremely hard to find now, due to the fact that there are a huge number of Wiis sold compared to Game Cubes.

PSP-GO and GB-Micro ended backwards compatibility, as well as the PS3-Slim. Join the club, Nintendo...

@ StarDust. Erm....Nintendo already did join the club years ago with the GB Micro. As you already said : It's not the first time Nintendo have released an updated version of a console with backward compatibilty removed...DSi removed the GBA slot as well. Not sure why everybody's acting like it's never happened before. Get a grip, people!

@ToxieDogg: Unlike the DSi and GB Micro, the wii doesn't have any improved features to offset the lack of backwards compatibility. According to this article, it also won't be sold alongside non-family wiis, as was the case with Nintendo's old handhelds. I wish I could just forget I ever read about the family wii.

How many people here are actually willing to shell out more cash for a redesigned Wii?
I'm certainly not, so I don't see the problem.

Hence why I still own my Gamecube. I don't my Wii will ever break down but if it does, we're good.

Never getting that wii